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I love Moose Jaw. It's my fav city. So naturally, I set many of my stories there. What a better place than one with tunnels, and old hotels, and a history so magical? Plus, this means, I get to explore it, tear it apart. So this is what I did this summer.

Moose Jaw brings out emotions in me that just make me want to write, get creative, try new things, get in touch with my past, find out things, and tell you about what happened here on the prairies while people pretended the world around them was perfect. There are no secrets in Moose Jaw, yet everything is a secret. They say Al Capone was there, maybe. They say they used Chinese slaves to do the laundry and they hid them underground in opium dens. Weird what we are proud of here on the prairies. And wow, those are just a few of the secrets they reel you in with. Once you start to dig into the history of Moose Jaw, it's endless, it’s powerful.

During my last tour deep in the underground Moose Jaw tunnels I was lead by a very energetic young actor. It was his first day. I love those guys! Always try to get those guys when going on a tour like this!! He moved me to tears, he made me laugh, and... well here’s the image;

We’re deep in the tunnel in a room that serves as both a living and a working room. It smells like lye and sweat. It’s hot and stuffy. Crowded. Dark. Damp. Scary. He’s telling us how we won’t see daylight again for years. How we’ll be giving half our day’s wages to live here, and we’ll sleep when tired. How our food will be locked up and how we’ll piss in a pot in the corner. When I ran my hand over the carving of a Chinese woman on a bed frame, all entranced by the love in the image, the tour guide came beside me, playing his role and screamed in my ear, "Coolie! I told you not to ruin the bed! Bloody inconsiderate!" I just about slapped him. hehehe. I know he was just playing his part, but damn, he played it well. Ever slap your tour guide? lol.

Yeah, Moose Jaw is magical. So much fun. What cities did you visit this summer that inspired you? And did you slap your tour guide?

Even as a wee thing she
had a thing for cats and
couldn't even look at them
or she'd go nutso with the thrill.

My dog and I aren't speaking. Really, I'm not sure why she's ticked at me, but I think it was the moment the vet injected the thermometer you know where. My reasons have more to do with a cat and happened about ten minutes before the you know what.

You see when we arrived at the vet today she was running late so I thought we'd take a stroll, around the block instead of being cooped up in the vehicle. About one minute into our walk-- one minute-- a cat walks by all... catty. My St Bernard LOVES cats. Just adores them in every possible let-me-tear-after-them-please-please-please-please way. So I ordered her to sit. Now, she knows the only possible way she's going to handle this excitement is if she lays down, so she does. Just trembling with anticipation.

﻿

She is actually doing my daughter's homework here. Lol. It was
a project about cats, so she went straight to the expert!!!

This cat just plays the role of all-things-feline-and-annoying too. She takes her sweet kitty time walking around the corner and my dog just keeps vibrating in anticipation. Now, the minou in her brave-take-that-sorta way must have peeked around the corner and gave us the paw or something because suddenly, without warning, my dog bolted after her.

whoosh. I was air born!

I could have let go of the leash but I tried to get control, because that's what desperate fools do. Somewhere in someone's flowerbed, I did. I was covered in slobber, mud, and grass, but I was back in control of a happy dog who was nudging me like we won some victory. Idiot.

﻿﻿

I didn't look around to see how many people were laughing, but I'm sure I made the paper. When the facebook photos roll in, I'll post one, because if you can't laugh at yourself-- heck, who can you laugh at?

You ever get pulled by a crazy dog chasing after a cat? You see here's the thing, this has happened to me before, and last time, I vowed to let go of the leash and just let her have fun. She never actually catches the cat because she's slow and they are not.﻿ And she always comes back happy.
So why didn't I let go? Life's little mysteries.